After last week's self-analysis about stuff the last thing I should have done is gone treasure hunting. I can't even blame it on impulse shopping because this one was a lot of work! In our area, United Methodist Women's estate sales are the place to go for stylish thrifty finds, or stylish expensive finds depending on the loot! People start lining up hours ahead of the opening. By the time I dropped the kids at school I had to park several blocks away.
While patiently moving through the house shoulder to shoulder with mostly women, I overheard a man on the phone with his wife. He said that he had found a couple of things for himself and was heading home because it was as crowded as a rock concert. Then he says, "No, it's all guy stuff, nothing really here for girls." Several of us "girls" looked at each other then busted out laughing. He nearly knocked us over heading for the door!
Just look at that list. It didn't even mention the tables full of fancy white ironstone. There were three soup tureens. Three! All with matching lids and ladles. It was all I could do to pass on them, knowing how much joy they bring to so many of you. But they weren't on my list. (See, I'm trying!)
This was though! I was hoping to find a small hutch or bookcase for storage in my living room. The glass was already out and replaced with fabric. I'll switch it out with some from my *ahem* stash. Yea, a no sew project. I actually found it on my second trip of the day. I had left but gone back to check on a painting that someone else had requested be held for them. It was gone but the place had cleared out a bit so I decided to check out the back bedrooms that I had never even made it to the first time. I also had chairs on my list.
Woo Hoo, coordinating chairs. I'm telling you, the lady of this house had serious style! So much of what she had is popular again, even the colors. Unfortunately, they're not my colors so these will be slip covered. Did I mention I don't sew well, and that I'm a procrastinator, and that a lot of my clutter is unfinished projects... Hubby knows. Which is why there was dead silence on the phone when I called to tell him I'd be by work to switch the van for the truck.
After a few seconds he says, "um, where are you?"
"Around the corner at the bank." Oops! More silence. Okay, I had started out with limited cash so I would stay in my budget. The chairs were only $15 each but the "perfect" hutch put me a little over.
So after stealing hubby's truck I made my way back for the third time. I had left a deposit and got lucky with parking. I hadn't noticed the fertilizer spreader in the truck so I had to move it to the cab. Then I remembered the tailgate release is broken and you have to use a screwdriver to push a lever way over on the side while lifting the handle at the same time. I dug through some tools in the cab but couldn't find one that would work. One of the volunteers running the sale finally went to get one from his car. In the meantime I made small talk with the poor man holding the hutch on the dolly.(It's small but heavy!) I mentioned I might paint it. He says, " You mean re-stain it." Um no, paint it, white. I really felt bad for him, it was killing him!
I thought about the lady who had lived in that house. Everything she had could be seen on today's home decor blogs. Somehow I didn't think she'd mind. In fact, I thought she would get a kick out of it. After I unloaded and finished taking pictures I noticed a large yellow butterfly on the lilac bush. When I started blogging I shared a photo of a yellow butterfly. A dear blog friend told me it's a sign someone has passed. It was fluttering so slow I couldn't help but put my hand out.
It landed on me!
Do you think she knows about the white paint?
I do.
